


My Friends Won't Love Me Like You

by genneel



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Childhood, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Pre-Series, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 16:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7721590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genneel/pseuds/genneel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They learn to love each other unconditionally in the same way that every child learns instincts in the womb. It comes naturally, like the sun rises every morning and sets at night. Nothing can separate them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Friends Won't Love Me Like You

They meet when Elena is first born and Carol Lockwood brings her son to the Gilbert household to trade infant war stories with Miranda. She sets Tyler in Elena's crib, next to her and Matt, as she catches up with her friend. When she and Miranda peek inside of Elena's nursery to check on the kids, Tyler's holding the newborn's hand as they sleep— Matt on his other side. The two mothers exchange a glance and coo quietly.

♡♡♡

Their group of friends is formed before they can even form coherent sentences. Tyler, Matt, Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie are practically raised under the same roof, and they learn to love each other unconditionally in the same way that every child learns instincts in the womb. It comes naturally, like the sun rises every morning and sets at night. Nothing can separate them.

♡♡♡

Tyler doesn't start talking when the others do, not that any of them actually care or mind. They read his body language fairly well for toddlers, translating for other children at day care who aren't as well-versed in the mannerisms of Tyler Lockwood. His parents send him to several speech therapists to no avail; Tyler remains relatively mute.

♡♡♡

They're playing hide-and-seek at the park when Elena suffers her first serious injury. It's Bonnie's birthday, and she'd gotten to pick the game since she turned six and is now older than the other four. Elena's running, her fingers entwined with Caroline's and Matt's, as they hurry to find a good hiding place. Tyler's right on their heels, so he very clearly sees Elena's ankle twist in the mulch and snap. She falls, bringing the two blonds with her, and Tyler collides with them, causing them to collapse into a heap of clumsy bodies. Elena whimpers softy— she'd never been one to have full-on meltdowns, even as a baby; Matt and Caroline fuss over their hurt friend. Adversely, Tyler stands up and runs towards their parents.

"'lena fell!" he exclaims when he reaches them, arms flailing wildly. "She's hurt real bad."

They all blink at him, mouths dropped open.

That's the first time Tyler talks.

♡♡♡

Their clique breaks off into two subgroups when they begin to understand the differences between boys and girls, but they don't stray from each other. The only difference is that Tyler and Matt become closer than they ever were before, and Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie do the same. That doesn't stop the five of them from having sleepovers and playing together, though. Really, their friendship dynamic doesn't change much, except for one thing:

Tyler and Matt both develop crushes on Elena.

♡♡♡

At their sixth grade graduation, they insist that they stand together, even though they all have completely different last names and aren't called upon one right after the other. They hold each other's hands, smiling brightly and basking in their moment.

"We'll never break up," Matt says quietly as a boy collects his diploma and shakes the principal's hand. "No matter what, we're never going to fall apart."

"We mean too much to each other to do that," Bonnie chimes in, nodding as she speaks.

" _The Fab Five_ is forever," Caroline beams, referring to the nickname for their friendship that she dubbed when they were eight.

" _Forever_ ," they all agree in unison.

♡♡♡

Matt and Elena begin dating in eighth grade, much to Tyler's jealousy and disappointment. The thing about being Matt's best friend, though, is that Tyler also feels joyful. He wants for Matt to be happy. Matt _deserves_ to be happy, and so does Elena, so Tyler ultimately decides to step back and let his friends burn through their teenage love affair.

♡♡♡

High school presents itself with a new set of challenges as angst begins to ink it's way into Tyler's, Matt's, Elena's, Caroline's, and Bonnie's lives. Caroline starts to fall for Matt, turning their already awkward love triangle into something like a rhombus. The only one of them who isn't smitten with someone is Bonnie, who's more interested in the folklore surrounding witches and psychics these days than anything else. Despite her strange new fascinations, Bonnie remains in the loop, all of the high school drama being dropped in her lap.

"I don't think Elena wants to be with Matt anymore," she notes aloud one night towards the end of sophomore year, her head in Tyler's lap as they watch a fireworks display together. Tyler knows that— it's obvious to everyone but Matt. He presses anyway.

"Why do you say that?" he asks.

"She's just seems so distant with him lately," Bonnie says sadly. "It's kind of depressing. Matt's so head over heels for her that he can't see straight."

"If they break up, Caroline will be thrilled," Tyler jokes, jumping at a particularly loud bang. The truth is, so will he.

"Don't act like you won't be, too, Ty," Bonnie snorts, as if she's reading his mind.

They watch the rest of the display in silence.

♡♡♡

Tyler accidentally spills his feelings for Elena over a bottle of wine and a cheese tray. Caroline's throwing a party, but Elena took Tyler upstairs an hour ago to try to help him sober up. Needless to say, her plan's not working too well. They're lying on a bed in the guest bedroom together, and Elena's absentmindedly running her fingers through his hair.

 _She has no idea_ , Tyler thinks solemnly. _She has no idea how much she affects me._

"I can't make you love me," he drunkenly murmurs randomly, and Elena stills. She's not stupid— she understands the connotations lacing Tyler's words. She kisses him on the forehead and closes her eyes; the two fall asleep together.

♡♡♡

The next night, Elena breaks up with Matt and her parents die. Tyler runs into the local hospital and past the lobby's single secretary to the room that Matt told him was Elena's, and his heart leaps into his throat. She's awake, but Tyler's never seen her look so _broken_. Tears stream down her cheeks, and she cries exponentially harder than she did when she broke her ankle when they were five. This is serious. This is _real_. Tyler curls up in her hospital bed, and Elena's body racks with sobs as she presses herself into his chest.

"This can't be happening," she wails. "Make it stop."

More than anything, Tyler wants to.

♡♡♡

Elena doesn't talk to anyone that summer, aside from Jeremy and Jenna. In fact, Tyler only spots her outside of her house once. She forces a small smile and turns around again; Tyler doesn't blame her.

♡♡♡

When junior year starts and Elena falls in love with Stefan, Tyler watches from afar, fuming in a way that he'd never succumbed to when she was with Matt. Caroline's voice echoes in his mind every time he sees the two of them together.

The thing is, their friendship _is_ forever; there's no doubting that. It falters, though. It falters _tremendously,_ and they will never again be as close as they once were.


End file.
